question: square bit above the aircon (central dash)

[stand alone complex]

right i know everyone has this bit on the A2 and ive not seen any variations but its always bugged me as to what its for...

i mean as far as i know there was no optional extra that used the space so why is it there? does it come off to reveal anything? anybody ever messed about with it? i was thinking of modding it to put something there but god knows what! haha just bored i guess and fancy seeing what amazing feat of transformation i could pull off..

http://www.a2oc.net/gallery/files/2/3/3/1/Dsc00513.jpg

its the bit in the picture (to the left) the central plastic bit on the flat of the dash..

answers on a postcard pls :p

[SantfeKuss]

Mentioned this to Spike the other week, there's nothing under there at all.
Maybe you could fit a monitor and do this :
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=50583

This guy in America done it to his Beetle, shows it from start to finish.
Could be quite a project :rolleyes:

[stand alone complex]

funnily enough this is what i was thinking.. accept i was gonna use the internals of a 12" powerbook

[spike]

Hi
I recently removed the dashboard (to change a climate control sensor) and there is not much space between the central air ducts and the underside of the square panel outlined on top of the dash. You can check this by removing the radio which gives access to two screws which locate the air vent and cupholder unit. Remove these and the vent assy can be eased out. It's an ideal place for a sat nav aerial but thats about all

Cheers Spike

[Albertofrog]

Hi

I've just bought a TomTom One and was thinking of using the flat panel to permanently fix the TomTom's mount to, however, I'm reluctant to irreversibly damage the panel (unless it can be replaced later).

My question is, is the square panel removable, and if so, are replacements available?

Alternatively any suggestions on where and how best to fix the TomTom would be gratefully received - due to the angle of the A2's windscreen the typical sucker mount doesn't seem practical.

Thanks
Alberto Frog

[g maddox]

that square flat plate on the dash in my car has a flat self adhesive plate stuck to it to hold my glasses case & anything else magnetic that needs a temporary home.works very well.

[SantfeKuss]

I stick my TomTom to the front quarterlight, good position to see it etc.

[chb]

where do you take the power from? With my garmin I can get the lead to reach to the centre handbrake 12v supply, but the cable path is messy.
Anyone rigged up a better solution?
Also, thanks for the quarterlight tip. I have just persevered with this and the result is much better than mounting at the side of the rear view mirror.

[pc759]

i have to say fellas ive no idea what you mean i cant see the flat bit you mean in the picture or in my car....?:confused: :confused:

[SantfeKuss]

Forgot to say, I'm getting another cigarette lighter socket put in where the fuses are, I just power it off the battery at the mo, and only switch it on the last x number of miles to the destination.

PC759-The 'flat bit' is the top of the dash in the centre...above the air vents, if you have an A2 that is :D

[robin]

you can put a multi cigarette lighter in the box under the heater control unit and get the power supply from the cigarette lighter as anything you put in there falls out when you accelerate any way
all the wires will be out of the way and you will can charge phone and satnave at the same time

[humps]

After some thought, I knew I couldn't use that flat area for anything serious like a LCD. But what I think is possible is a no drill, no holes mounting for things like Sat Nav. If you can get yourself some Neodymium magnets, you can perhaps glue them to the under side of the plastic. These 'super' magnets have a field of a few mm so they should work across the thickness of the plastic. One piece the size of a 5p coin will grab a typical mobile phone. Get 3 and align a triangle pattern, you have enough pull to secure even the biggest Sat Nav unit. The hard part is to create a small metal mount for your device. As to power, I would suggest tap one of the +12V wires from the harness behind the stereo, either and bring it out through the front vent (or make a tidy loop in the cup holder) or dril a side hold just under the handle bar where it screws to the center console. What I'm thinking is whether I can mount a powered usb connector somewhere as many of my phones/devices charges through usb anyway.

[Albertofrog]

Hi - I've now fitted the TomTom on the quarter light window and it works really well. I've sorted out the the power supply by pushing the cable into the join around the dashboard and under the steering column - it is invisible for the most part. Also per Robin's advice I bought a gadget from Halfords for £7 that plugs in to the cigarette lighter and converts it into four cigaretter lighter style power sockets which fits nicely in to the felt-lined space above the ashtray under the radio, allowing me to power my iPod and Nokia phone charger at the same time. Decided to the leave the mysterious panel alone!

Thanks for the input.

Alberto Frog

[alexwharton]

I think the flat sqaure bit is to be cut out to install a cubby hole for small items.
Heres a pic of it before and after in a polo
Before
http://www.vagparts.com/images/9Ncubby/cubby/1s.jpg
After
http://www.vagparts.com/images/9Ncubby/cubby/13s.jpg

[gerard]

i've got an old apple laptop i was thinking of installing into the A2...

has anyone done it yet?

i also want to make a wi_fi antenna to sync music and video etc from the home network...

-gerard


http://www.myspace.com/notetoselfdontdie

[andyman]

Ah it would be very good/handy if it were possible to convert the top to a small storage pot thing like the one in the Polo, anyone any ideas?- Skipton?:)

[Skipton01]

At over £500 a throw for a dashboard, this is one mod I won't be trying out!

The tray would be uselessly shallow too, as the air vents go straight back and on my car, that is where the GPS receiver for the RNS-E lives - best view of the sky from there, with just a couple of millimetres of plastic in between.

Cheers,

Mike